The state’s voucher program, known as the Empowerment Scholarship Account program, is a scam.

It’s been sold to taxpayers as a way for the families of kids in poor or underperforming districts to get money from the state and use it for a quality private education.

Except, as The Republic’s reporters found in examining records, 75 percent of the money taken from public schools for the Empowerment Scholarship Account program came from districts with an "A" or "B" rating, while only 4 percent came from school districts rated "D" or lower.

Debbi Burdick, superintendent of the Cave Creek School District, said, “We do have many families of affluence in this area who are knowledgeable about the scholarships and would use it to augment the cost of a private education.”

When limited to a specific group with specific needs the program worked. Expansion has opened it up to those who DON'T need it, but can take advantage, while only pretending to help the poor. For families of limited means a voucher for $5,000 won’t cover enough of the costs for them to attend most private schools. That’s not a problem for families who already have means.

There are bills in the Legislature that would expand the program, making it available after four years to all 1.1 million Arizona public school students.